The Samsung Galaxy S2 users can now update their handsets with a powerful software that brings important features imported from other devices and from other platforms, the ROM being dubbed as Joel Droid. The firmware is actually based on the latest Ice Cream Sandwich stock ROM, but in its system you will be able to find Jelly Bean features and capabilities. How is that possible? Well, the WanamLite and CM10 platforms are standing behind the Joel Droid software, so by installing the firmware on your Galaxy S2 you will be able to improve and customize your phone with the latest Android 4.1 features and apps available.

As mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy S2 will be updated with apps that can be found installed on the latest smartphones released on the market, the Galaxy Note 2 and the LG Google Nexus 4. So, the Android 4.1 WanamLite based Joel Droid custom ROM firmware will be customized with the Note 2 and Google Nexus 4 apps and tools, not to mention that numerous Jelly Bean features will be added to your handset. His tutorial will take you through the installation process, so for the proper explanations and steps read the next few lines.

Take note that this is being considered a complex operation, so you need to read and apply all that is being explained during the present step by step guide. By skipping a section you can end up in bricking your device, so be careful in what you do. The Joe Droid is a custom ROM, meaning that you can’t use Samsung’s KIES for applying the same on your Galaxy S2. For being able to update the CM10 and WnamLite based software on your phone you need to follow and complete a manual procedure, the one that is being resumed here.

Now, the software was developed and also tested on a S2 smartphone by those of xda-developers, so if you want to learn more about the Jelly Bean update, go here and check out our source page. Then, return here and resume the rest of the lines. During the next list I have explained which the pre requisites are; this is the most relevant part of this tutorial, because without taking care of the same you will not be able to safely update your Samsung Galaxy S2.

This is a complex operation therefore a backup process must be completed before all. You will have to wipe the data, or else the ROM can’t be installed on your phone. So, before backup the Galaxy S2 messages, contacts, call logs, current ROM, EFS and everything else you need to.

Then, you must gain root access over your smartphone’s OS. The Joel Droid custom ROM will work only on a rooted system.

The warranty will get void, so be careful in what you do and read twice before installing something on your device.

You can restore the warranty by downgrading to the stock ROM, though the root access will be revoked and the bootloader will be relocked.

Next, after rooting (you cannot do this otherwise) you must download and flash a custom recovery image on your Galaxy S2. It’s extremely important to do this as without this tool you will not be able to install the CM10 and WanamLite based Joel Droid custom ROM on your handset.

On both, the computer you will use and S2, uninstall the antivirus tools and deactivate the Firewall protection.

You need to connect the smartphone with the computer via USB cord for being able to do that.

When you have placed the file on the device, unplug the USB cord as you don’t need to use the computer anymore.

Then, reboot the S2 in recovery mode.

On the S2 the recovery mode can be entered by pressing and holding the Volume Up and the Home key buttons while pressing on the Power button.

Once in recovery, from the menu which will be displayed, first select “wipe data factory reset” and “wipe cache partition”.

Return to the main menu: “+++go back+++”.

And next select “install zip from SD card” and “choose zip from SD card”.

Select the file which you have placed on the SD card before.

Flash the same.

Don’t press anything else; just wait until it’s done.

In the end all you need to do is to select “+++go back+++” followed by “reboot system now”.

The first boot should take a couple of minutes, so don’t panic. Your Samsung Galaxy S2 has been updated with the WanamLite and CM10 based Joel Droid custom ROM firmware. Remember that the software is bringing features and apps from the Galaxy Note 2 and from the Google LG Nexus 4, so test the same and see how it performs on your phone. Do share your impressions with us by using the comments area from below.